Not every boxing fan is an MMA fan. Some just enjoy watching a fight where the combatants can only use their fists, while others want to see multiple styles mixed together. It just comes down to a matter of preference, and some choose one sport over the other.
However, many of those who enjoy MMA or boxing just enjoy combat sports, which means that they like to watch both. In theory, that is the best of both worlds. They get to watch boxing when there is no MMA on TV and when boxing is taking a hiatus, there is always MMA to watch.
In practice, it gets a little murky.
Boxing is usually its own enemy. After all, there are times it not only ends up pitted against mixed martial arts, but against other boxing programs. The best example is how HBO and Showtime counter-program each other.
Many times if there is a boxing match on one station, expect that the other station will also have some kind of boxing program set up across the street.
Boxing itself is disorganized and that has led to a fracturing in its fanbase. Considering that most fans of MMA associate it with the UFC, it goes from MMA to the UFC vs. boxing.
That dynamic doesn’t help anyone.
At this point in time the UFC is a huge conglomerate that only seems to be growing rapidly. When boxing, which has become a niche sport, tries to put something on the same day, it is usually bound to fail.
There are some exceptions, such as when the UFC put on its first card on FOX, which coincided with the Manny Pacquiao fight.
Even then, fight fans could safely tune in to watch the UFC heavyweight title be fought for on network TV and safely buy the pay-per-view that night after it to see Pacquiao compete. There wasn’t any real conflict between the two. In fact, it showed that both can coexist together.
But imagine that the UFC fight card had been a little later. It might have made a portion of fans struggle between choosing a free fight on TV or ordering a PPV.
Many fans might have chosen the free fight considering the kind of economy we live in.
But most of the time, boxing doesn’t have an A-list superstar in the main event. Most of the time it is only a star that boxing fans know. And most of the time they are on HBO or Showtime and not PPV.
When the UFC PPV events are on, most fans can go to their local pub and watch the fight for the expense of a slightly overpriced meal.
Fans who want to watch boxing on premium cable usually have to order it themselves and stay at home.
Not only does that end up costing boxing fans almost as much as MMA fans who get a high-level PPV event, but they lose out on the atmosphere that watching a big fight with a crowd creates.
It doesn’t help to alienate fans from another sport that they love. Especially when they get to see fewer fights, some of which are horrible mismatches, and that most of their friends won’t even be there.
If boxing overhauled its image and turned quality in boxing on every single event, they still would lose in the ratings because they have built a certain image in fans’ minds for so long.
Boxing is corrupt.
Boxing doesn’t care about its fans.
Most fights are boring.
MMA has done the opposite.
There will be great fights tonight.
Most will end in exciting finishes.
There will be a lot of people watching and having fun.
Boxing can’t just put on a great event the same day as an MMA card and wash these imprinted ideas out of fans’ heads. It isn’t going to happen. Instead, fans will just ignore the boxing matches and put their attention towards the MMA bouts.
First, boxing needs to heal itself. Then it needs to market itself on weekends where fight fans won’t instinctively turn to MMA.
And after a while, it might want to stay that way, because fans who don’t have to choose between boxing and MMA will gladly give their money to both.
And revenue gained is worth more than bloated pride lost.
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